Portland drug trafficker sentenced after authorities seize 50 pounds of fentanyl

PORTLAND, Ore. ( KOIN ) – A Portland-area drug trafficker was sentenced to federal prison on Wednesday after authorities seized more than 50 pounds of fentanyl and other drugs from the trafficker and associates from his trafficking organization, the Oregon Department of Justice announced.

Francisco Moncada, 28, was sentenced to nine years in federal prison with five years’ supervised release after authorities found he sourced large quantities of fentanyl from out-of-state contacts with ties to Mexican cartels and directed gun sales in the Portland area.

In October 2021, special agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Portland office started investigating a drug trafficking organization in the area and in April of 2022, learned Moncada was a manager within the organization.

That same month, authorities stopped a vehicle with Moncada and several others transporting about 15 pounds of fentanyl. Under two weeks later, authorities said they stopped Moncada again and seized another 10 pounds of fentanyl.

Investigators searched Moncada’s homes in Portland and Vancouver on May 20, 2022, and seized seven firearms and two pounds of fentanyl.

The Oregon DOJ said between Oct. 2021 and Aug. 2022, investigators seized 50 pounds of fentanyl, 40 pounds of meth, and smaller quantities of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana from Moncada and his associates. Additionally, authorities made 16 arrests connected to Moncada’s organization.

On May 21, 2022, Moncada and three others were charged by criminal complaint with conspiring with another to possess and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl.

A federal grand jury in Portland returned a six-count indictment charging Moncada and eight associates for the charge in June 2022, and additionally charged Moncada with possessing a gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Moncada became the tenth member of the organization to plead guilty in December 2023, and is the seventh member of the organization to be sentenced to federal prison. Four others are awaiting sentencing, and one member is a fugitive, authorities said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.